Raul S. Bravo, Jr Memorial Page

LCpl. Raul S. Bravo
United States Marine Corps
KIA 3 March, 2007 Iraq

April 17, 2007
Rachel Bravo
In Honor Of LCPL Raul "Chato" S. Bravo Jr.

Raul aka Chato which means little or no nose, was
killed in Iraq on 3/2/07. He was an essential part of our family, the only
boy, youngest of 3 sisters. He loved to drive, dance and make others
smile. His favorite meal was Thanksgiving Dinner, my mother would make
this for him anytime he requested it. He was the most giving and
selfless man I knew. Too young to go soo soon.
We will always remember the good times my brother. we are with you
always

big-lil-sister
Rachel

SIGN
GUESTBOOK

Raul and myself (sister Rachel) our
last breakfast prior to his deployment

Raul and his Great grandmother Sarah
taken prior to her passing last June

Raul's signature pose

Tributes
June 24, 2010
Hadia
I still don't understand how or why this had to happen to you. You were such a beautiful person... i miss you
always....

March 05, 2010
Tilo Larios
I Will always be missed. Enjoy the afterlife

October 28, 2009
Teddy Ray Fugate
Dear Chato, you were too close to coming home to have gotten so close and then so very far away. I really miss
you like theres no tomorrow, but I know that you are in a better place now. I just remember the good times I had
with you when we were little and look back on it as something that will always be able to give me strength and
make me smile. There are many times I fell apart and cryed cause you were my bro, and your not here, but those
things that make me cry are also the same ones that make me smile, and make me pray that it will stay that way
as long as i'm alive~cause you are still my brother and you make me feel very proud to have known such a
compasionate person who wouldn't ever put it past yourself to listen to your Father, or your older sisters, and do
whats right~I love you man, and you will always have a spot in my heart, soul, and spirit, Teddy Ray Fugate~

October 11, 2009
Raul,
I miss you a lot bro. I just was looking at some pictures from AL QAIM. It was an honor to ride in the truck with
you for those 5 months. We had some good times with Sticky Steve and CAPT. Steamer. ha ha. We all miss
you and are proud of you. Say whats up to Burgess and the rest of the fellas. See you up there one day.
Love
Shawn Didde

June 19, 2009
dozer
In Honor Of raul bravo

May 15, 2009
Elaine
In Honor Of Raul Samuel Bravo, II
Dear Chato,
I miss you so much, I can say that there's not a day that I don't think about you. I sit at work and look at your picture
everyday. It makes me sad thinking about all those times we hung out, sneaking you in to bars and buying you
and your marine friends beer! LOL

I know that you are truly in a better place. You were a good man, a good brother, a good son and an amazing
friend. I still have pictures of us up and when I see them it makes me smile. I think of all those times you
comforted me by just brushing my hair. Hugging is girls and making us feel secure. I just want to let you know that
we will never forget. I WILL NEVER FORGET!

I love you,
Asialina

April 14, 2009
rachel
I LOVE YOU!!!!!

March 15, 2009
Bob and Kathleen Kuhn
In Honor Of Raul S. Bravo

March 23, 2008
What's up chato... you'd be surprise how famous you are, I hadn't seen this page though. I'm doing good, got
hired on with LAPD (Im sure you already knew that though), I remember you saying you wanted to work out here
in south central. We would-of taken over for sure LOL... I'm still trying to work up the courage to go see you bro, I
promise I will. this the first time I do this, feels a little weird but... I'm sure you know you are always with me bro,
Thanks for being you... thanks for being my friend... thanks for being my brother.

March 24, 2008
Rachel
IHey Chato,
Who's this guy under my tribute? You agreed to let a Marine meet us if
you could meet his sister?! Hu... I though we weren't allowed to date
Marines. You were scamming your boy! LOL! I love you! At least my
man is Army, Sean is coming home at the end of April for good. Where
going to start our family and raise Sierra together. I can't wait to see
her face.
I love you always lil- big bro!!!!

IVAN VALDEZ
March 20, 2008

SO THE TIMES FINALLY COMING, IM GETTING OUT NEXT MONTH
AND IM HEADING BACK OUT TO TEXAS. REMEMBER YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO MEET
MY SISTER AS LONG AS I CAN MEET YOURS=) I'VE TOLD THEM ABOUT YOU AND
THEY WERE ALL LIKE "AY MIRA HE'S LIKE CUTE AND STUFF" YOU KNOW HOW
MEXICANS TALK=)....SO 3/4 LEFT TO IRAQ AGAIN LIKE 2 WEEKS AGO, WISH I
COULD'VE GONE BACK BUT I CAN'T GO OUT THERE WITH OUT ALL MY BOYS BACKING ME
UP. HOLY SHIT HOW I MISS YOU BRO...TE MANDA SALUDOS LA FAMILIA

KB
March 13,2008
Princess:
It was a year and ten days ago i last say your goofy face. You were
a great Marine and an even better friend! Stick true to the hymn and
hold down the streets up there for me piaso, ill be with you again.

Rachel Bravo
~Tuesday, January 22, 2008~
I'm missing you madly!
It's been almost a year... almost a year since I've heard your voice,
almost a year since you left us behind... almost a year since I got that
phone call from mom and Shakira... almost a year since my world fell
apart...

Chato, As you may know by now I'm pregnant. I am 14 weeks now...
hopeing for a girl but Sean wants a boy... I think you should put in a word
with the big man and get me a girl! LOL! We've talked about it and if
it is a boy he will be named after you... Raul Patrick Strack... our
girl will be Siarra Rain Strack. I wish you could be here to see my a$$
getting bigger! I have dreams about you... you seem to be younger then
older in others... last night you were about 5 years old... I saw you
and was telling everyone to touch my belly b/c you could feel the
outline of the baby... I told you to touch it and you came at it with a
stiff hand, I told your repeatedly to relax and just feel it... when you
did I looked at you and your face went from normal skin tone to pale
white like you had seen a ghost, regardless of your face color you were
happy for me, as I believe you are now. I feel like you brought Sean into
my life to make me straighten up, and now the baby to keep my str!
aight... Thank you Chato! Thank you for being my little bi brother.
Always loving you from here to heaven,
your big-lil-motard-sis,
Rachel

Isabelle Bravo

Chato I miss you so much it just keeps getting harder
and harder with out you......

Rachel Bravo
CHATO!!!!
I've found him!!! I've found the ONE!! I hope you remember him...
Sean Strack. I introduced you guys mmm like 3 yrs ago. I took you to the
bowling alley at the Orleans, remember? You said he was cool, except
for the fact that he was thinking about joining the Air Force... Well,
he joined the Army! We got engaged last Friday/Saturday! Mom loves
him, Isabelle loves him, Shakira loves him and.... DAD LOVES HIM!!! I
couldn't believe it!! I think you may have had a hand in that! ;o) did
you?! I know you did!

Chato, he is amazing in all aspects! I could not have asked for a more
perfect man to be my husband! I wish you were here though... I miss
you sooo much! I can't believe that you aren't here... I think about you
everyday, every minute... every second.

I miss you and Sean is here now so I got to run, I need to show him
your sites!

I'll holla at you later bro!

With love from here to heaven,

Your big-lil-punka$$- Motard of a sister,

Rachel

Rachel
My dorkest brother Chato,
I miss you man! Life is so not the same with out you. It has been 5
months and 5 days since you left this world without me... I'm managing,
day by day. They say it gets easier with time... of coarse that is
something that "They" say and of coarse THEY can say that... They aren't
me and THEY didn't know you! You are my only brother. The only man
that I could turn to with whatever I needed. The only man that could chew
on our hair, or comb our teeth with your tooth. Only you can dance at
the stop lights as you do. I bet you still do too huh?! up there in
Heaven holding up the traffic so you can Lean Like A Cholo. LOL!
I'm looking at a pic of you and I, I was about 20 yrs old so I guess
that would make you... 16? LOL! Your hair was still on the POOF status
trip lol! but you are taller than me... and you are still trying to be
Gangsta by throwin up "W" DORK!!!! Dad took the pic so of coarse it is
not centered! =o) I miss you Chato!
I suppose you now know about my Boyfriend huh? Ya ya ya... I know the
"rules"! lol AND I have found your loop! HA HA! He isn't a Marine so
he is fare game te he he and he isn't the AirForce so he isn't a whimp
either... but.... he is a Soldier. HEY! at least he is Military, you
kinda made my perramiters small don't you think?!?! Any who, his name is
Sean Patrick Strack, and he is uummm 23 I think?.... anywho, he is a
great guy, he loves me and if he even thinks about doing wrong by me,
those fools that are your friends aka my half-rejected brothers that are
always there, they will take care of it! but that's not gonna happen
because Sean is a really great guy and Chato, I love him too.
Well, I kinda have to go... gotta get back to this thing they call
work? ick! LOL!
I love you Motard!!!!
With Love from here to Heaven,
Your lil-big-punkA$$-Motared-sister,
Rachel

Rachel Bravo
July 11, 2007
Chato,

I just wanted to stop by and say hello.... HEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYY!!! LOL!
I miss you! tried to dream about you last night... I'm not sure if it
worked, Jessie started barking and woke me up.
The Transformer movie is out, not sure if you knew that they were
making it... but it was soooo good!!!! my gosh I want to see it again!!!!!
Luxxx and I are going to see Harry Potter tonight and play Bingo.
They also made a Simpsons movie!! I'm gonna go see that next week!!!
Jessie misses you! I miss you! Mom misses you! So does Izzy, Alex, Dad
and Kira! Mom finishe the Wall of Honor, it is all about you and the
coolest thing I have ever seen. When I went to see it for the first
time I was sooo proud! I'm always proud of you but to see it all on a
wall... MAN it is sooo cool! I'm sure you've seen it!

I'm sorry I don't go to see as much as the rest of the fam... it's just
too hard, I don't know what to do when I am there. I cry when I am
alone... When I go w/ anyone I just want to leave. I guess I just don't
want to accept the fact that your body is 6 feet below me... I can
just call you shorty now! LOL! I'm taller than you!!!! jk... I wish you
were here to call me shorty! and Punk and motard and dork and
lahooser!!! Lately I've been feeling guilty about not being closer to you when
we were younger. I wish that you had moved to Vegas and lived here with
me or that when I moved to Elko I should of stayed longer than 2
weeks... I'm sorry...

I miss you soo much Chato! I ordered new plates for my car... 2
Chato... I'm going to Chato! hehehe I should of made it say Chato 2 so that
when I finaly get your Camero they would say Chato 1 and Chato 2!
LOL! how funny would that be?!!?! I tried to get the plate to say Motard
1... someone has Motard... The DMV wouldn't let me do it... they said
it was degrating or whatever.

So right now I'm in a contest to win a trip to the Playboy Mansion!!!
that's right what what! hahah if you were here I'd be taking you...
I'ma take Izzy so I think you should come with us!! It would be sooo
cooolll please cross your fingers that I get to win!!!! ONCE IN A
LIFETIME opportunity!!!

I gotta go... almost time to go home! I love you!!!

With love from here to Heaven
-Your big-lil punk of a Motard sister,
Rachel

Rachel Bravo
June 28, 2007
Been thinking about you like always... This past weekend we went to 29
for your Marine Memorial Service... it was beautiful!! But sad as
well... we made the trip there for you but did not return with you like we
should have back in May... I can't help but say THIS ISN'T FARE! I
miss you incredibly and most of the time just don't know what to do! The
guys come up here a lot... I guess it kinda makes it feel better to have
them around but at the same time it doesn't... I just keep thinking
about how things would differ if you were here....

Shakira would probably still be here. That breaks mine and Izzy's
heart not to mention mom and dad but that, I think, is another story. I
don't know if dad would of still moved to Vegas or not so it is still
weird to me in away getting used to him actually living less than 400+
miles away LOL! I can make it to his house in about..... hhmmmm 30 mins
maybe. So it's good Dad food anytime I want, really. But I sooooo wish
you were here!!! This past weekend all the guys stayed at dads house.
I think he liked it because it made him feel closer to you... but then
again I know that it made him even more sad... knowing that you as well
should of been there! You would of loved being able to run around the
corner and go to dads or moms! It takes some time to get used to it.

I don't know what I want. Don't know what I am looking for... I'm
confused... I'm not sure if I'm doing what I do because I long for you or
what. Nothing makes sense to me anymore so I do what brings a smile to
my face... whatever that may be...

I miss you dearly! I can't wait for the day that I get to see you
again!!!

With love from here to Heaven
Your big-lil punk of a Motard sister,
Rachel

Asianlina
Chato,
I miss you dearly. I think about you all the time. I still remember the
last time I've seen you at the airport - it saddens me deeply that I
know you wont be here to play with my hair and to comfort your girls when
we are down.
Chato, you will ALWAYS be in my heart....
Love Always,
Elaine

Rachel Bravo
Chato...
Things haven't been the same since you left to be with our Lord and
Savior... I feel as though the world has rested upon my shoulders. Just
when I think it is done and we can move on... it happens again. I try
my best and make the decisions that I know you would make, but it is soo
hard. Lord knows if you were here, none of this would be happening. I
know everything happens for a reason.... but when do we get to the
reason? Things just keep happening, I just don't get it. I have no where
to turn, no one to talk to that would or could even understand the
tiniest bit of what is going on... on the outside as well as the inside...
I trust in God and in you that the 2 of you will lead us all to a path
of pure happiness that will no longer cause tears... I just want to
know how much further the path takes us, and how come when I think we are
10 feet from the door it disappears in the horizon?
I love you and I know I am trying to do the right thing for the family
so I ask of you just one thing... While I'm helping them, can you
please make sure I don't lose myself?

With love for here to HEAVEN,
Always and forever your big-lil motard sister
Rachel

Rachel Bravo
Chato~
I flippin miss you punk! I moved in with mom so she isn't alone
anymore. Emily had a lil boy on 5/14/07 his name is Giovanni, she was stuck
on the middle name so me being his Godmother I was allowed to pick the
middle name..... Raul. His name is Giovanni Raul Otero. I call him my
lil G.R. he is adorable. She was told the entire pregnancy that she was
having a lil girl and when the pulled him out it was a boy. a Blessing
I'm sure. Mom said that Giovanni was one of the names that she tossed
around for you but finally settled on Raul. Is it just a coincedance
that Emily named him Giovanni and I offered Raul?? LOL I think not.
Watch over him while I am unable to. I shall guide him in your
footsteps, manners, faith and kindness.
I love you lil bro!
Love and Kisses from here to Heaven,
Always your big-lil sis,
Rachel

Rachel Bravo
My Dearest brother Chato- From day one I knew you were special, Special Ed. That is! There is
no one like you. You survived years of torture at the hands of your 3
older sisters…. I can remember when you were so skinny we would grab
you up and carry you to mom & dad saying “look we caught a chicken
can we eat if for dinner?!” you were the cutest thing ever. And with a
blink of an eye you were a man… taller & stronger than us… Pay back
really does suck!

We didn’t stay as tight as I would have wanted but when you joined
the Marine Corp. all that changed. You became… my hero, my Marine and
my light. When I needed you most you were there! When my heart broke
from a love lost you held me tight and told me that you cared. It was
then that I knew you were my #1 man. The only man, besides dad, that
never let me down.

They say… “You never know what you have until it is gone” I
thought I knew that better than ever when you left for your first tour in
Iraq… I guess I was wrong. I cried and cried but your courage gave me
the strength to go on. When you came home we were together every
chance we had. I had never had as much as I have had this past year and
half with you. Dancing at stop lights, trashing Travelodge, Blondie’s,
my Bathrobe Boys and drawing on other Marines when they passed out from
drinking too much! What wimps, even I out drank them! :o)

I believe we were put on this earth to live life to the fullest to
complete as many good deeds as possible, for most it takes a life time…
60, 70, 80+ years, you my brother did it in 21! You are truly an Angel!

On your 1st tour to Iraq a good friend gave me a quote that has helped
me deal with you doing your job over there… It says: “The only
thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Chato, you were a good man 1 of the best I know. So from this day
forward I shall live my life as you lived yours… Honest, pure, giving,
and completely selfless… I dedicate my life to you.
All my love-
Your big-lil sis - Rachel

Rachel Bravo
Chato, Tomorrow is the 2 month day that you left us to
be with God. It always hurts so much when it comes to this time. It is
sooo hard to hold back the tears that stream down my face.... All the
boys come home this weekend, the come home incomplete... We should be
getting ready to come pick you up and go party, but that is not
happening. I'm trying to be good. it is hard to do. I miss you too much!!!
Cinco de Mayo is Saturday, it won't be the same with out you!!! I know
that you are watching over us... Please guide us!! WE are lost without you!!!!!!!
I miss you too much that I don't know what to do 1/2 the time.
I'm lost with out you!
My brother, come to me soon....
Love from here to there,
Rachel

Rachel Bravo

Hey Chato!! I think about you EVERYDAY!!! Not one day
goes by that I don't think of you. Your car is dirty right now and I
am soooo sorry for that, it is supposed to rain again so I'll go wash it
and bump some country for you this wkend. I'm sad because I am
begining to forget what your voice sounded like. Chato, I'm sorry!! You
know what I'm talking about! I never meant to cause you any grief, I'm
suffering for it now...
I love you dearly and can't wait to come home and be in your arms
again!! Hey, come comb my hair with your teeth! PLEASE!!
Alex says your name now!! It is the only name besides mom that you can
understand him say. He points to all your pictures and says "look!
dats Tato"! he calls you Tato... it is the sweetest thing ever, I just
wish you could hear it!
I love you so very much!! I promise to name my first born son after
you!!!!
Love ya!
Rachel

In Loving Memory of Chato
Isabelle Bravo
Chato I just cant believe you're gone. We had so many plans...So much to do...and now I have to do it all with
out you. I know you'll be watching, but its not the same. I wish that I had just one more day... I love you so
much. I hope your having fun up there with grandma, grandpa, and nam nam. Ill see you again one day bro.

Joy Marsico (loving mother of Raul S. Bravo, fallen Marine)
In Honor Of Raul S. Bravo, II

Beloved Son,
I am thankful for having you in my life for twenty-one short, yet
beautiful years.
I thank God for the blessing of choosing me to be your mother.
I miss your voice, your touch, your smile, the smell of your cologne,
your very presence.
You make me want to be a better person. I live every day in a way that
I hope God would find pleasing, in a way that would honor your memory.
You are my hero, my son, the light of my life, my lighthouse.
I know the angels have wrapped their wings around you and made you
whole once again.
Till my time comes, guide and watch over me. I dedicate my life to
Jesus, and to you my brave son.
I'll love you till time without end,
Mom

Rachel Bravo
Chato,
I love you!!! I've been bumping your Garth Brooks and Toby Keith Cd's
hope you don't mind?! Come roll with me and lets dance at stop lights!
Kisses
Rachel

Anthony Garcia
Chato
I will miss you. You were a great friend and I
will never forget you.

Samantha Roy
You are a great man! One who could bring a smile to
any sadden face! You were loved dearly and will be missed greatly!!!

Isabelle and Rachel

Chato & Alex

"Hot" Chato

A Portrait done of Chato curtesy of
Michael Reagan

Rachel and chato with the Angels

Chatos MySpace Picture
1st tour Iraq

Rachel and Chato